Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) typically have on-premises computer networks connected to the Internet via a firewall. For security purposes, the firewall restricts communications between the on-premises network and the Internet at large. The firewall can then make it difficult for legitimate users to access the on-premises network remotely. Accordingly, some on-premises networks are set up to allow remote access using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that provide a secure channel through the firewall between the remote user and the on-premises network. Functionally, the remote device becomes part of the on-premises network.
However, it can be costly and cumbersome to set up a computer system network for VPN access. VPNs can be problematic; for example, there can be address conflicts, especially in cases in which a user connects to more than one VPN at a time. Such address conflicts can prevent a user from contacting all devices on conflicting networks. As a result, many SMBs eschew VPNs, thus narrowing their capacity for remote access and opportunities for increased productivity.